Light Up and Power Africa

Light Up and Power Africa is the first and most capital-intensive of the African Development Bank's five strategic priorities, directing the bank's energy-sector financing toward universal electricity access across the continent through a combination of large-scale generation, national grid expansion, regional interconnection, and decentralised off-grid solutions.

What is Light Up and Power Africa?

Africa has the world's largest energy access deficit, with hundreds of millions of people living without reliable electricity. Light Up and Power Africa is the afdb response: a strategic priority that channels a large share of the bank's financing and technical assistance into power generation (hydropower, solar, wind, gas), high-voltage transmission lines, distribution networks, and mini-grid and solar home system programmes for rural and remote communities. Projects under this priority appear across all 54 rmc countries, financed through both the ADB window (middle-income countries) and the adf (poorest countries).

For procurement, Light Up and Power Africa translates into a consistent flow of large and technically complex contracts: power plant engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) packages; transmission line civil and electrical works; distribution system rehabilitation; smart metering supply; and consulting services for feasibility, design, and supervision. Because the contracts tend to be high-value, they typically trigger AfDB prior review and are procured through international competitive bidding.

Why Light Up and Power Africa matters for bidders

Energy sector suppliers with AfDB-eligible track records find Light Up and Power Africa to be the most consistently funded entry point into the AfDB portfolio. Power generation EPC contracts, transmission line works, and off-grid solar supply contracts recur across multiple countries every year. Firms that invest in AfDB registration, build relationships with national power utilities (the typical implementing agencies), and maintain current experience records in the relevant sub-sectors are well-positioned to compete. The csp for any African country with a significant energy gap will almost always include at least one energy project linked to this priority.

FAQ

What types of contracts does Light Up and Power Africa generate?

The priority generates EPC contracts for power plants and transmission lines, goods supply contracts for transformers and metering equipment, civil works for distribution networks, and consulting contracts for feasibility studies and construction supervision.

Do off-grid projects generate procurement opportunities?

Yes. Mini-grid construction and solar home system supply programmes generate procurement, typically through frameworks or goods contracts rather than large EPC packages, and are often procured at the national or regional project level.

Are Light Up and Power Africa contracts restricted to African firms?

Eligibility depends on the financing window. ADF-funded energy projects are open to all countries worldwide; ADB-window-funded projects restrict prime contractor eligibility to firms from regional member countries.